Site Visit Checklist: 15 Things to Inspect Before Buying a Plot

Boundary markers: Confirm the plot's physical boundaries match the survey number's documented dimensions — ideally with a surveyor or someone who can read the layout plan alongside you, not just the seller's verbal pointing.

Access road: Walk the actual route from the nearest public road to the plot. Confirm it's a legal, documented right of way, not an informal path across someone else's land that could be blocked later.

Road width and condition: A narrow or poorly maintained access road can limit construction vehicle access and affect future usability and resale.

Topography and slope: Check for significant slope, low-lying areas prone to waterlogging, or uneven terrain that could add construction cost.

Soil quality: For construction plans, a basic sense of soil type matters — heavily rocky or waterlogged soil can significantly increase foundation costs.

Water sources and drainage: Look for nearby water bodies, natural drainage paths, or monsoon flooding evidence (waterlines on nearby structures, vegetation patterns) that satellite images taken in dry season won't reveal.

Neighboring land use: What's immediately adjacent matters — an industrial unit, a quarry, or a garbage dump next door affects both livability and resale value in ways a listing photo won't show.

Existing structures or encroachment: Check for any unauthorized structures, fencing, or cultivation on the plot by third parties, which can complicate possession even after a clean paper purchase.

Utility proximity: Note the distance to the nearest electricity line and water source — connecting utilities to a remote plot can be a meaningful unbudgeted cost.

Survey number matching: Cross-check the survey/gat number displayed or described on-site against your 7/12 extract copy.

Local development activity: Nearby under-construction projects (positive signal for infrastructure momentum) versus abandoned or stalled projects (worth investigating why).

Distance to landmarks claimed in marketing: Verify claimed distances to highways, the airport, or town centers using your own navigation, not just the listing's stated figures.

Seasonal accessibility: If possible, ask locals or check for evidence of how the access road and plot behave during monsoon — a plot easily reached in dry season can become inaccessible during heavy rain.

Local price cross-check: Speak with more than one local source (not just the seller's broker) about recent transaction prices in the immediate vicinity, to sanity-check the asking price.

Photograph and geo-tag everything: Take your own timestamped, geo-tagged photos of boundaries, access roads, and surroundings — useful both for your own records and if any dispute arises later.